Hapless Situations
by RazzlePazzleDooDot
Summary: The Outcasts are planning to attack Berk, but the day before their planned invasion, Alvin discovers Hiccup and Toothless' forbidden friendship in the woods and comes up with a Fiendishly Clever Plan to break Stoick's spirit and gain control of the Barbaric Archipelago. Mid-movie deviation, slight AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"So, son," Stoick began, breaking the thick silence and startling Hiccup into dropping his fork with a dull _thud_ on the wooden table, "Where do you go off to all the time?"

Hiccup looked up at his father in surprise then quickly looked back at his hardly-touched plate and swallowed nervously.

"Uh, I don't know what you are…um…" He mumbled, trailing off awkwardly. It was clear he was unused to being invited into conversation, especially when the topic of discussion was himself.

"Nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it," Stoick continued. "Gobber's told me you've been disappearing from the shop every afternoon or so. 'E thought you'd gone to practice with Spitelout, but I saw him earlier; said you've been scarce there too." He eyed his son curiously.

Hiccup pushed his food around distractedly. "Well, um…"

To the boy's relief, Stoick's out-of-character fatherly interest in his son passed as his mind got distracted with other matters. _Good thing he never really listens for the answer_, Hiccup thought sarcastically.

"You should really spend more time with your uncle, Hiccup," he scolded. "Those lessons he gives you won't amount to anything unless you make an effort. Archery may not be the weapon I'd prefer you to be skilled at, but I'll settle so long as it'll do something to improve… all _this_." He gestured to his son's small frame.

"You just pointed to _all_ of me," Hiccup muttered.

Stoick went on, seemingly unaware of his son's misery: "I told him you'd be over this morning for a couple hours. You should get going once you finish eating." The Viking chief stood; then, eyeing his son's plate, he added, "And really, Hiccup, you ought to eat more. We've got to get some muscle on you."

Hiccup inhaled, gathering his courage. "Dad, I really don't think it's working out. With Spitelout, I mean."

Since his father had dumped him on his uncle's porch a few weeks ago and shoved a bow into his hands, Hiccup believed he might actually have a chance with this; At least he could lift the weapon. But after the first day or two he'd figured out his aim couldn't be worse if he were blind. Not only was this humiliating for him, but his failings gave his jerk-of-a-cousin Snotlout—who made sure to hang around for teasing opportunities—the utmost pleasure.

"Oh, you'll be fine," Stoick cheerfully brushed off his son's anxiety. Then, as he threw his enormous fur coat around his shoulders and placed his Viking helmet on his head, Hiccup heard him say quietly, "Thor help us if our future chief can't even shoot an arrow… at least he doesn't get in the way during dragon raids anymore…" And with that the large man lumbered out the door to assume his chiefly duties, leaving his despondent son in lonely silence.

...

Hiccup pulled his boots on and creaked open the front door, drinking in the fresh morning air and the beautiful view of the island from their elevated home. He allowed himself a small smile. _Berk may be full to the brim with crazies,_ he thought contentedly, _but it sure is a nice place to live otherwise._ He made sure his faithful sketch book and charcoal pencil were tucked securely in his vest pocket before hopping down the steps and making his way into the village.

He'd barely come within view of the Jorgenson's house before he heard that unpleasant whiny voice that he knew preceded relentless derision:

"Hey, _Useless_!"

He turned slowly to see Snotlout strutting out of the smithy with a dangerous-looking ax in his meaty hands.

"What do you want, Snotlout?" Hiccup asked, feigning boredom to annoy the bulkier boy.

Scowling, Snotlout resumed arrogantly, "My dad's busy rebuilding some houses from the last dragon raid. Guess who he put in charge of teaching your sorry butt archery for the day?" Then, delighted by Hiccup's despairing expression, he shoved his scrawny cousin to the ground and crowed, "ME!"

"It's going to be a long day…" Hiccup sighed.

...

It was late afternoon when Hiccup finally got away from Snotlout's torment-filled lesson. Half of it was wasted by Snotlout's using Hiccup as target practice with his new ax—"To work on your arm strength!" He'd mocked, rattling Hiccup's bones with a blow to the target-painted shield he strained to keep up in self-protection.

He glanced worriedly at the sun's lowering position in the sky and turned weary footsteps towards the docks.

On his way he pulled out his sketchbook to look over drawings he'd made the day before, and in his distraction he bumped into someone.

"Sorry," He said, startled, looking up briefly in apology. Upon seeing whom he'd run into, however, he stumbled back in surprise. "Astrid!"

The blond teen flicked her bangs off her forehead, her lively blue eyes on Hiccup's drawing. "No prob… hey, that's a cool dragon."

Hiccup self-consciously gripped his journal closer to his chest. "Oh, um, thanks…."

"It's kinda different than any I've seen. Did you make it up?" She asked, lifting her gaze to Hiccup's face.

"Um, well, not really," He stuttered, hating how idiotic he must sound.

Astrid guessed he was unwilling to say more, so she gave him a friendly smile and walked off with a goodbye.

_Poor kid. He's such a fishbone that no one ever takes much interest in him, but I bet there's more than meets the eye…_ she mused, before returning her thoughts to the afternoon training session she was heading off to.

Watching her go, Hiccup exhaled in relief at the close call. Some twenty minutes later, he entered the forest lugging a large whicker basket of fish over his shoulder.

"With all those interruptions, I won't even get to fly him today," He said aloud exasperatedly. "But at least I can get away for the little while I've got left."

As his trek led him near the cove off Raven Point, Hiccup readjusted the pack on his shoulder and called out, "Toothless!"

His one friend.

* * *

**So, um, hello there... *nervous smile* This is my first time writing fan fiction; as a matter of fact, it's my first time in a long time writing anything other than essays for school. But I've recently discovered this wonderful website, and after reading a good amount, I think I'm ready to contribute something myself. Be gentle, please: I'm sensitive, but constructive criticism and plot ideas are welcome :)**

**Sorry if this chapter is lacking- I just wanted to get something out so I could get some feedback before proceeding.**

**Hope you're having a great day! *hands out virtual gummy worms***

**~Raz :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Berk. Alvin's old home.

He and his men were ready to destroy it at last.

The bear-sized chief signaled for his horde to follow and the Outcasts made their way through the thick forest, hauling enormous axes, crossbows, and other deadly weapons for the impending invasion.

Finding what he deemed a good place to set up camp, Alvin ordered his troops to stop and make battle preparations for the morning. Till then, he decided, he would scout the area and check Berk's defenses.

Making his way past Raven's Point, however, a sudden noise caught his attention and he froze, listening.

"Tooooothless!" It came again.

It was a boy's voice; coming from the trees ahead and to Alvin's left. The Outcast's eyes narrowed in annoyance—he'd have to be careful not to be noticed if he wanted their attack to maintain the element of surprise— but a twinge of curiosity made him tread quietly in the direction of the call.

Turning around a tree, Alvin suddenly dropped to his stomach with practiced stealth and peered through the underbrush at the small figure he'd spotted at the edge of a lush cove.

And nearly gasped at what he saw.

A small, auburn-haired boy who looked vaguely familiar to Alvin smiled lopsidedly as a great black dragon greeted him with no trace of antagonism in its features whatsoever.

Shuffling forward, Alvin blinked his small, black eyes wider in astonishment. He couldn't decide what shocked him more: that the boy— obviously a resident of Berk, where they were still at war with dragons— was smiling and petting the beast like a friend; or that the creature, rather than attempting to eat the toothpick of a boy, was just as friendly.

Then there was the fact that the dragon was a _Night Fury_, the rarest, most feared dragon known among Vikings.

_What in Thor's name is going on here?_ Alvin wondered, watching as the kid scratched the scales of the now-purring dragon and dumped out a wicker basket of raw fish that the beast promptly began consuming.

"Hey, bud! Sorry I'm a bit late today," the boy said affectionately. "Dad's been trying to get me to take up archery, since I can't swing an ax for my life. I'm miserable at it, though. Just another reason I fall short of the perfect Viking son that 'Stoick the Vast, May Ye Hear His Name and Tremble, Ugh, Ugh' wishes he had."

The dragon—Toothless, he'd called him? Odd name—lifted its head in concern when the boy's tone turned bitter. Its great head nudged his shoulder playfully.

"I know, I know," the kid laughed. "At least I have you to keep me sane. Too bad befriending dragons isn't an admirable accomplishment in Vikings' eyes…" He trailed off sadly.

In the bushes, Alvin's mind was racing. This runt—and he couldn't be more than fifteen—was the son of his rival. Now that he thought about it, Alvin recognized him from spying missions he'd led some times before: The _Hiccup_, always getting himself yelled at by Stoick and the other Hooligans for being in the way during dragon raids and causing trouble and for just being _strange_. At the time Alvin hadn't given the little embarrassment a second thought, but he now took in the copper-headed boy's movements with great interest, like a predator stalking its prey.

Already sinister plans were forming themselves in the Outcast leader's head.

He wasn't sure how the runt had gotten close to a Night Fury, let alone tamed it; but he clearly had some sort of hidden ability with dragons. And such ability proposed a world of opportunity for a Treacherous such as himself, if he could harness it for his own purposes.

And harness it he would, Alvin thought with an evil yellow grin.

...

Hiccup had only left Toothless a few minutes ago and was trudging back through the trees when a sudden outcry stopped him dead in his tracks.

Toothless was roaring in fright.

Hiccup's heart thudded painfully in his chest and he turned to run back the way he'd come, only to be grabbed by foreign hands pinning his arms behind him and lifting him off the ground. In utter confusion, he kicked out, but his struggles only seemed to amuse the unknown assailant. The last thing he heard before a blow to the head put him out cold was a dark snicker that sent shivers down his spine.

...

Alvin returned to the Outcast's camp with the unconscious boy slumped over one shoulder.

His second-in-command, Savage, approached and reported, "The Night Fury is secure, Alvin."

Behind him, the dragon growled defiantly through a cruel leather strap around his muzzle. He was chained to a wooden contraption on wheels, and the dozens of men that had wrestled him into it stood warily around him.

Alvin grinned at the sight and_ tsk_ed with his tongue. "Don't give me that look, beast; you brought this on yourself. How long did you really think this would go unnoticed?" He gestured first at Toothless, then Hiccup, indicating their secret friendship.

Seeing his human limp in this evil man's grasp, Toothless struggled more vigorously, but to no avail.

Alvin roughly set the kid down by his precious dragon and had one of his men tie his hands. Then, gathering the Outcasts with a barked command, he proceeded to give out orders.

Some of them were confused by Hiccup and Toothless' presence—they hadn't witnessed what Alvin had, and their chief didn't really explain anything— but they knew better than to question his orders.

"We surround the village and take them unawares. This one" –he pointed at Hiccup—"is our leverage."

"But Alvin," Savage asked doubtfully, "Do you really think Stoick will risk his people for one kid?"

"Oh, this isn't any kid. It's his son. And if there's one thing I know about Stoick, it's that he's weak when it comes to his family."

Their cold laughter made Toothless shiver in his restraints.

...

"Son, I'm home!" Stoick announced, entering their house.

The greeting silence didn't strike him as odd; he supposed his introverted son was in his room drawing or some such nonsense. What did upset him, however, was that Hiccup hadn't been at the Great Hall for dinner.

Stoick sighed, climbing the stairs to give him a lecture about being so antisocial among a people he would someday have to lead, but stopped, puzzled, at the unexpected sight of Hiccup's empty room.

"Hiccup...?"

He was startled by a dark blur that whizzed in through the open window and clattered on the wooden floor by his feet.

Picking it up, he found it was a large, flat stone with a folded note attached. Unfolding it, he read:

_Stoick- Every house is surrounded. You have no choice but to surrender. If not, a certain someone will pay the price. Alvin the T._

Enclosed was an unmistakable lock of reddish-brown hair.

* * *

**Hello again *smiles less nervously***

** Thank you peeps for the positive response to my first chapter. I'm feeling more confident, and so here is my next installment. ****I tried to make it longer... it didn't work... ****I'll try and put another up soon. Once again, constructive criticism is welcome. **

**btw yesterday was my last day of school- hooray for summer! Virtual gummy worms for all! xD**

**~Raz**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Stoick's blood seemed to freeze. He read the note again. His great hand closed on the small lock of his son's hair.

Not again.

First he'd lost Val; he couldn't lose Hiccup too.

...

Hiccup was, understandably, having a bad day.

One second he was being ambushed a faceless adversary; the next he was rudely awoken by a cold bucket of water to the face. His startled sputtering must've be the height of amusement, he concluded, as it evoked harsh laughter from the shadow over him. Hiccup attempted to wipe his eyes but found that his hands were tied behind his back. _Better and better_…

"Rise 'n shine, Dragon Boy. Things to do, people to see."

Hiccup went rigid at his choice of epithet. Blinking up at the man, the first feature he noted was a brown beard like an electrified possum. His large stature was outfitted in scale chainmail and he looked generally dirty. The horns on his helmet were intertwined; mirroring a twisted personality, Hiccup assumed.

"What… What'd you call me?"

Alvin grinned. "You 'eard me," he said simply, before turning to attend to other matters.

A familiar trill close to his ear made Hiccup swivel his head around. "Toothless! Oh, no, not you too…"

The dragon's wide, intelligent eyes looked questioningly at his human, then at their captors.

Understanding the unspoken inquiry, Hiccup turned and spotted the leader guy again.

"Hey!" He yelled, gaining Alvin's attention. "Who are you? What are you doing on Berk?"

The man chuckled and replied, "All excellent questions, questions you'll have answers for soon enough. Men!" He drew the rest of the shady-looking Viking's attention. "Let's move!"

Hiccup gasped in surprise when the wooden platform he was seated on lurched forward on its squeaky wheels. He gritted his teeth and wracked his brain for any way to get out of this situation. If he ran they'd just drag him back; and honestly he couldn't just leave Toothless with these idiots. He could practically feel his friend seething at his back, and he knew the frustration he felt was mutual.

"So… you guys kidnap teens for fun often?" He asked the couple of men pushing the contraption from behind. Their faces remained stony, not even appearing to hear him. "Talkative lot, aren't you…" Hiccup gave up, seeing that these goons weren't going to tell him anything.

Reaching the edge of the village, Alvin ordered them to stop. He approached Hiccup and took out a knife, using it to sheer off a bit of his bangs and enjoying how the kid flinched at the contact.

"What was that for?" Hiccup demanded.

Alvin paused. "Business," he said before leaving them and heading into the village. The rest of the several dozen Outcasts scattered to take their various posts around the island, while Savage grabbed Hiccup and, despite noises of protest, pushed him along after Alvin.

Left alone was Toothless, immobile but angry as a hornet. He didn't know what was going on, but that Hiccup was in danger; and they would find out that no one messes with someone a Night Fury feels protective over.

_.._.

_P-P-P-A-A-A-A-A-R-R-R-P-P-P!_

Astrid awoke with a start to the sound of the emergency horn blowing.

"Astrid Camicazi Hofferson! We need to get ourselves to the Great Hall immediately!" She heard her mother call.

Immediately alert, she bounded down the stairs with a battle ax in hand. Her parents were there already, likewise prepared. Together they exited the house and found the other villagers pouring out of their homes as well.

In the Great Hall, a din rose as the Vikings tried to distinguish the cause of the disturbance. Stoick entered and stood at the head of the room, waiting for silence. Astrid thought he looked a little strange—almost… nervous; distracted. Not at all like his usual strong self. Beside him was Gobber, who looked just as jittery. Clearly he knew what was going on.

When the Hall quieted, Stoick spoke: "I know you're all wondering why we're here. It's a matter that requires… delicacy."

The people of Berk gave each other confused looks. Delicacy was not something Vikings were renowned for.

Suddenly the double doors burst open with great fanfare and everyone gasped when a crowd of Outcasts emanated through them.

The normal Viking reaction would've been to attack, attack without question and either conquer or die in glory. Death or Glory was their motto.

The clincher was, Alvin headed the enemy party; and in his grasp, a knife at his throat, was the Hope and Heir to the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third.

Astrid took in the scene with shock, barely able to contain a plethora of questions: Who was this man threatening them? How did he get Hiccup? What in Midgard were they going to do?!

Stoick kept his eyes locked on his son, whose own green ones were wide and filled with fright.

"Nice to be here, Hooligans! No need for applause, please, just as you are is fine!" His stunned audience watched as Alvin mounted the table in the middle of the Hall with Hiccup still in his hold. His tone turned serious: "You are outnumbered and surrounded; fighting now would only result in needless loss of life. Your chief understands this, and has agreed to an armistice. And I, Alvin the Treacherous, Chief of the Outcasts, am pleased to announce that the Isle of Berk will be entering the Slave Trade; with all of you playing the important role of _slaves_."

Angry outbursts punctuated the previous silence, and Spitelout even attacked a nearby Outcast with his hammer, only to be contained by three more.

"NOW!" Alvin continued, "You will deposit your weapons on your way out and be escorted to the jails for the rest of the night. IMMEDIATELY!"

As the reluctant Vikings did so, Alvin motioned to Stoick that he was to stay. Outcasts pushed the Hooligans along, looking pleased with themselves. As Snotlout passed the table he hissed at Hiccup, "I can't believe you went and got yourself caught, _Useless_!" which of course made Hiccup feel even worse than he already did. Astrid tried to get a glimpse of Hiccup's face through the crowd to see if he was alright, but before she could her ax was snatched roughly from her grip and she was shoved out the door.

At last the doors shut and an unnatural silence filled the Hall as Alvin turned a triumphant grin on his conquered enemy. Stoick looked pale from the night's events, his gaze still on his child in the hands of his enemy.

"Let him go now, Alvin. You got what you wanted."

The Outcast chief pretended to think about it. "Hmm… I don't think I will," he decided, gripping Hiccup's arm tighter in such a way that the boy let out a pained hiss. He took appalling delight in the father's horror for a moment before releasing the runt and laughing, "Ah, why not? There's fun to be had in the mornin'."

Hiccup stumbled down to his dad, who quickly drew him tightly to his side.

"Where's Toothless, Alvin? Where's my—"

Hiccup blanched, then bit his tongue. Stoick looked down at him, puzzled.

This made Alvin roar in amusement. "Almost forgot about that, didn't I? Savage!" The mustached assistant came out of the shadows by the door. "Have some of the men bring in the creature." Savage nodded and left.

"What's going on?" Stoick demanded, glancing back and forth between Hiccup, Alvin, and the door.

"Just a little surprise, Stoick." Alvin winked disgustingly at Hiccup, who shuddered.

But a moment later, Savage returned, out of breath and looking flustered. "It's gone, Alvin! Must've gotten out of the restraints!"

Hiccup's heart leapt in hope.

"Hmm," Alvin frowned, considering. "No matter. We can make do. I wanted to see how it works anyway." He eyed Hiccup, then Stoick. "And won't it be fun for all of us," he cackled."Now take these ones to their special quarters."

At his order Savage and some other men herded father and son out the door. They were locked in a single cell off the side of the Dragon Ring. Stoick's hands were secured like Hiccups before they were left alone in utter darkness.

"Son, are you okay?"

"…Um, fine?"

Stoick chuckled. "Good."

A pause.

"Dad, who is Alvin? Why does he hate Berk?"

Stoick hesitated, then sighed, "I suppose you should know."

"Know what?"

Stoick cleared his throat of emotion. "The truth about what happened to your mother."

* * *

**Grrr I dislike this. Strongly. I hate both fighting-ish sequences and dramatic back-stories, and somehow both weaseled their way in here. I promise not to spend too much time on the story thing next chapter; I just feel like it's not been explained why Stoick hates Alvin, or what happened to Valhallarama, so why not make a head-cannon theory? For the purposes of this fanfic it's to explain character motivation. But like I said, I promise not to waste too much time on it. **

**But, hey, stuff's happenin- that's good, right? Toothless got away, what? hehe, we shall see...**

**And now it's like 1:30 AM, so I am going to bed. night peeps n_n**

**~Raz**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Wha… what?" Hiccup was taken completely by surprise.

Stoick looked his son in the eyes—in the same emerald irises he'd inherited from Valhallarama. "But let me back up," he sighed. "It was about twenty years ago, give or take, that Alvin was banished from Berk. He'd always been a shady character; ever since we were young, he always had it out for me since I got attention as the chief's son, and he was very bitter about my placing first in dragon training..." Hiccup noticed his father's gaze was far away, recalling the past.

"…Then there was his, odd upbringing," He continued. "No one really knew where he came from. He washed up on our shore one moonless night, just as mysterious as ever, and was taken care of from villager to villager till he was old enough to live on his own. I guess it's not surprising he felt disconnected from the Tribe… but it's still no excuse for his actions."

Nearby dragons shifted and squawked in their cages, making Stoick pause before resuming. Outside the night was still as the new tyrants of the island settled into the people's homes.

"The Berserker Tribe of the Uglithug Territories had a hostile streak a while back, under the leadership of Oswald the Agreeable's unnamed predecessor. The man was insane; he tried to conquer various islands in the Archipelago in search of a husband for his daughter Tantrum. Those candidates she refused were fed to the Beast, a creature that still inhabits Berserker Island to this day.

"When he'd set his sights on Berk, Alvin betrayed us to aid in his attack; hence his title, Alvin _the Treacherous_. Perhaps the deranged Berserker chief offered him some position of power for his support… either way, the fools were no match for my father and the brave Hooligan warriors. We halted their advance and put an end to their ridiculous war… and Alvin was banished to Outcast Island, where he presumably made himself chief."

"What does this have to do with Mom?" Hiccup wondered impatiently.

"Ah. That was some time later. Val and I were married not long after Alvin was ostracized. My father died an honorable death in his old age and I took up the leadership of Berk. And you, you were barely four when your mother went missing."

"Gobber told me she was away on a quest and gave up her life completing it," Hiccup piped up again. He recalled the blacksmith comforting him when Stoick had been too absorbed by grief to attend to his young son. The childhood memory was dim, but he thought he remembered a change in his father after that day, in which he became more cold and distant.

Stoick looked pained. "He would have said so, yes… What really happened was that Alvin returned for vengeance and kidnapped Val as his hostage. And I… as a new chief, I was headstrong and weak and I went after them myself before consulting the council." He had to pause to take a deep breath. "And when I confronted Alvin and told him he would never have Berk for himself, he… he…"

Stoick didn't finish, but Hiccup didn't need him to. He took in this new information as the two sat in silence.

It made Hiccup uneasy to see his, well, _stoic _father so torn up by emotion. He'd surely lost part of his own heart when his wife died. That would explain his hatred for Alvin. _And,_ Hiccup thought with a gulp, _that would explain Alvin's confidence in taking me as bait. But he doesn't really have to _kill _me to get to my dad… and I'm starting to think I know what he's planning…_

...

Toothless had not been idle.

Like dolphins and bats, some dragons use echo-location to get their bearings in the dark; but such an ability is also useful for calling out to other dragons for warning or help.

Once alone, the Night Fury used his sonar to call out for any dragons in the area. The frequency he used was small enough to go undetected by dim human hearing, but large enough to be heard by even the lesser species of dragons within a good distance. He'd hoped his summon might be picked up by a Nadder or some such useful creature; however, as these were wise enough to stay clear of human dwellings outside of their pack raids, his wait only brought a few Terrible Terrors came crawling out of the bushes.

But despite their less-than-average intelligence, the small dragons did have sharp teeth, and before the moon had risen to take its place in the center of the sky, Toothless was free of the cursed wood and leather bindings. He trilled a thank-you to the little things (one of which happened to be the very same Terror Hiccup had given a smoked fish to some weeks ago when they'd rested one early evening after flying) and they fluttered away in happy unison. Catching with his sensitive hearing the sounds of a returning human, Toothless quickly concealed himself among the brush and waited till the threat had passed.

During his escape ordeal, some commotion had taken place in the village—the blowing of a horn, shouts and loud murmuring in strange human tongues—but now all was silent and Toothless could only assume the Vikings were now sleeping. He was torn for a while on how to proceed: obviously he wanted to charge in there and rescue his friend… but would these actions only lead to his recapture? Considering he didn't even know where his human was at the moment, the best thing to do would be to wait for now and see if an opportunity would present itself. Grudgingly, the black dragon settled himself down for the night and entered the light state of sleep of a predator adapted for attack at a moment's notice.

...

Sunshine through the bars of their cell woke Hiccup from his troubled rest early the next morning. For a moment he leaned against the stone enclosure and rubbed his aching neck in confusion; then recollection of the unfortunate events of the last twelve hours hit him and he slumped again dejectedly. Beside him, Stoick sat snoring lightly with his helmeted head against the caved wall.

Hiccup stretched and stood, unhappily registering his still-bound hands, then had to sink back against the bars for support to keep from crumpling under a wave of light-headedness. He assessed his trembling fingers and nausea as his body's reminder that he hadn't eaten in quite a while. Then, just as he was wondering when his next chance for nourishment would be, he heard noises of an approaching man echo through the arena and had to tumble back to the ground as meaty Outcast fingers shoved a tray of food through the cell's door slot. When the footsteps retreated, Hiccup tentatively scooted the plate closer with one foot and observed its repulsive contents: limpets. _Oh, joy._

But his stomach growled impatiently, and he reluctantly maneuvered the tray onto his knees. With his hands tied, he had no choice but to bring his face down and shove a portion into his mouth bit by bit, ignoring the fowl taste and the bits that clung to his chin, until he felt his blood sugar was restored enough. He wiped his face against one shoulder and slid the tray away from himself. Looking over at his father, he was surprised to see the Viking chief now awake, and watching him oddly, like one might study a small, interesting animal going about its business. Hiccup shifted uncomfortably. _What a situation to be in… _

Stoick took up the plate in a similar fashion that Hiccup had and finished its contents wordlessly. Hiccup was increasingly uncomfortable with his father's odd quietness, but figured there really was not much to say at this point.

Not twenty minutes after the meal had been brought in, footsteps returned to the arena, but this time in greater number, and accompanied by loud chatter and clanging. A shadow fell over Hiccup and he swallowed anxiously.

"Mornin' boys!" Alvin's unwelcome voice boomed. He unlocked and swung open the door, but before its occupants could even think of escape, several large Outcasts filled the little room. Hiccup was jerked up by the arm by one man, while the rest attended to Stoick. The great Viking chief was dragged, with no small amount of grunting and manhandling, to his feet, and both father and son were brought blinking out into the light of the arena.

The stands were filled with riled-up Outcasts, apparently awaiting some sort of show. Stoick protested angrily as he was hauled and chained to a post by the far rock wall.

"ALVIN! I swear, if you even _touch_ my son…" Stoick spat, directing an enraged glare at the man now standing over Hiccup.

This brought more sadistic laughter from their audience.

Hiccup jumped when a meaty hand clapped onto his shoulder and its owner leaned down to whisper in mock-affection, "D'aaw, lookit that, 'iccup. Yer dad _does_ care about you." Then straightening, he looked the frightened boy in the eye and whispered maliciously, "Time to change that."

Hiccup glared at him as bravely as he could—which is a little hard to do when you're facing a man like Alvin and probably imminent death—but even so, a new fear gripped him as Alvin turned away.

"Men!" Alvin addressed the crowd, who quieted in anticipation. "Through glorious treachery and cunning leadership, the Outcasts have taken Berk!"

Wild cheers answered him.

"And now," he continued when they quieted, "I have a little treat for our dear friend, _ex_-Chief Stoick the Vast!"

Said man was red in the face now, too angry to respond with more than a growl.

"You see, my fellow Outcasts, this pathetic fish bone here"—he gestured to Hiccup crouched in the dirt beside him—"is the Hope and Heir to the Hairy Hooligan tribe. And while 'e may not look like much, the kid may actually be good for something other than a dragon's toothpick..."

He was suddenly at Hiccup's side with a knife out. The boy gasped when he brought it behind him, but he realized Alvin was only cutting off his restraints. In a moment Hiccup stood shakily and rubbed at his chaffed wrists. Seeing no one make any attempt to stop him, he ran to his dad's side.

"Hiccup!" Stoick cried, momentarily somewhat relieved. His arms and legs were tried so that he was pretty much immobile, making their brief embrace a little awkward. (_But then, so are most of our interactions_, Hiccup thought with his trademark sarcasm.)

Despite his helpless state, Stoick looked determined to protect his son, who to him had never seemed more vulnerable and defenseless than at that moment.

"Get behind me, son!"

Hiccup did so, but he had a sinking feeling that he knew what was coming.

Alvin had climbed to the Chief's spot above the arena. Smiling at Stoick, he raised his hand in a signal and the blockade on one of the captive dragons' caves began to rise.

"No!" Stoick gasped.

A flaming Monstrous Nightmare burst out of the gaping hole in the stone wall, and was instantly scaling the chain ceiling and spitting fire through the enthusiastic crowd.

"Alvin! Let my son go! It's not him you have a grudge with!" Stoick called desperately.

Alvin laughed callously at his enemy's despair. "Don't worry, Stoick. Yer son has a little…_hidden talent_ with the beasts. I don't think I'm mistaken when I say, he's been keeping secrets."

Clearly confused, the Viking chief glanced at his small son."Hiccup, what's he talking about?"

Hiccup gulped and avoided his gaze.

The dragon had caught sight of the two humans in the arena and lowered himself into a stalking position.

"This is it, _Hiccup_!" Alvin sneered. "Either you show your stuff now, or you and yer dad take a one-way trip to Valhalla!"

Hiccup glanced desperately at his father; the giant reptile about to devour them; the murder-happy Outcasts; and finally, Alvin leaning forward in his seat with a knowing grin.

His hope collapsed in that moment.

He had no choice.

For what he was about to do, Hiccup knew he would never be thanked.

"I'm sorry, Dad…" he whispered for only Stoick to hear, before taking a deep breath and looking forward determinedly.

Hiccup took a few steps toward the Nightmare with his hands up to show him he was weaponless. The creature snorted and sized up the small human.

"Hiccup…?" He heard his dad ask, bewildered.

"Shhh," he said to both Stoick and the dragon, who had stopped advancing and was watching Hiccup's movements curiously.

"That's it," he breathed as calmingly as he could. "I don't want to hurt you."

Hiccup put out his hand carefully and ducked his head in respect.

The arena was dead silent.

Then Hiccup felt warm scales ease under his trusting fingers. Despite the circumstances, he smiled slightly and gave his new friend's snout a gentle caress, then eased forward and began scratching the scales on his neck the way he knew Toothless loved. The dragon closed his eyes in pleasure and gave the boy an affectionate nudge. Hiccup couldn't help it, he laughed: _Dragons really are amazing creatures_.

Gasps and murmuring around the stands brought him out of his element and back into reality. His smile vanished. Alvin was smirking. He turned slowly to face his father.

Stoick stared at his son with eyes wide in budding shock, betrayal, and…

…Disgust.

"Dad…" Hiccup tried, feeling broken inside. But he had no words.

Stoick's expression tore his heart. "You... you've thrown your lot in with them…"

Then his face closed off into an emotionless glare.

"You're not a Viking. You're not my son."

His words struck like a physical blow and Hiccup stumbled back. The Nightmare sensed his distress and looked questioningly to the boy. But the words that echoed again and again in Hiccup's head drowned out everything else:

_You're not my son_.

Suddenly there were Outcasts in the ring, and the Nightmare stood over him protectively, snarling as they approached.

At the forefront was Alvin, who laughed at the display.

"Maybe he can be yer new father, Dragon Boy," He teased, stimulating a round of ornery laughter and making Hiccup flinch at the applied nickname. Then, serious again, he ordered, "A'right, men, cage the beast and show our friends to their rooms like the courteous hosts ye are."

They rushed the Nightmare, who'd barely opened his mouth to breathe fire before he was tangled in bolas and being dragged back into captivity.

"Please, don't hurt him!" Hiccup pleaded despite himself.

An Outcast grabbed him roughly by the arm and began pulling him towards the gate. Several others were unchaining Stoick from the post. Hiccup caught sight of his dad's face again. He was calm, but there was revulsion boiling in his eyes. Waves of shame rolled through Hiccup, making tears crest the corners of his eyes.

In anguish, he pulled at the man restraining him to yell at Alvin, "Why… why did you do this?" He was so depressed that he didn't care that the tears were now on his face for all to see.

Alvin turned to the boy, amused. "Why? Well, kid, you're smart 'nuff, you should know that."

He walked over and kneeled so that they were face to face. Hiccup cringed from the awful stench of his breath as he whispered, "To break Stoick's spirit, as well as your will to resist when I force you to train for me a dragon army." The young Viking's eyes widened in horror, to which Alvin gave a yellow-toothed grin. "Oh, and for entertainment, of course. Just a shame there was no blood. On this occasion. Plenty of time for that later." He winked disgustingly, and then nodded to the other Outcast, who continued yanking Hiccup forward, drawing a pained yelp from the boy.

They were being led back out through the gates rather than to their previous accommodation. Stoick would be put with the rest of his imprisoned tribe, now that Alvin had had his fun with him, and Hiccup was being taken under special watch until he was of further use.

However, just as the man pulling Hiccup—Alvin's assistant, Savage— passed through the exit and out into the open beyond, a blood-chilling, high-pitched screech caused the hearts of all but one human to freeze in alarm.

"Night Fury!" The feared call rang out.

"Get down!"

Violet flames blasted several men back against the outer arena wall as a black blur tore its way through the crowd. It slammed into Savage, and before the Outcast had any grasp of what was going on, the boy was torn from his hold.

Hiccup, having immediately caught on to his friend's rescue plan, was ready. Without a moment wasted, he was on Toothless' back, foot in the stirrup and ready for take-off.

Realizing what was happening, Alvin growled and pushed through the stunned Outcasts.

"NO!" He roared, reaching for Hiccup…

…just as boy and dragon shot into the air, out of his grasp.

The frustrated yell of "shoot 'em down!" drew Hiccup's gaze to the ground where Alvin was ordering men about in search of bolas. But they weren't fast enough, because at this point they were out of range and quickly becoming a black blur to those below. Hiccup thought he might've glimpsed Stoick before they rose above the clouds, but his expression was unreadable from this distance.

Toothless glanced back at his rider and cooed happily.

"Thanks, bud," Hiccup murmured into his friend's neck. Despite their new-found freedom, the teen still felt hollow at the fresh pain of his father's rejection.

The receptive creature beneath him gave a concerned whine. Hiccup sighed, looking into the warm jade eye turned toward him.

"It's all so messed up..."

* * *

**Whew... think that's enough words? hehe**

**I went camping in the mountains last week. But I have returned. Hello. Gummy worms, anyone? **

**So, lotsa stuff happened! I hope the back-story wasn't too silly; I tried to mesh some stuff from books and series into it. And then some. **

**I actually wrote up the arena scene before I started this story. It was part of my original idea for the plot. Sooooo I am now officially winging it. Ideas=welcome **

**~Raz :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Hiccup trained a dragon.

**_Hiccup_ **trained a dragon.

Hiccup **_trained_** a _**dragon**. _

_And then flew off on a Night Fury_.

Stoick was a full-on, battle-hardened Viking; he could handle a lot. But even he was having a hard time swallowing this one. And he had been there, seen it with his own eyes.

Meanwhile, Alvin was seething, yelling curses that could no doubt be heard from anywhere on this side of the island. He was demanding every one of his men to search the whole of Berk for that boy. If they didn't have him back by tonight, then Thor help him he would..

But Stoick wasn't paying attention, as his mind was still wrapped up in other disappointments: How could he? His own son, a person he thought he knew... didn't he?

The chief's reverie was interrupted as his escort reached the Berk prison. As the metal door swung open, the chatter of his entire village crammed into one building spilled out, then immediately hushed at the sight of their leader being brought in with them. Stoick kept his eyes on the floor; he didn't want to see them looking at him expectantly, with all the loyalty and trust a chief could ask for, and know that he'd sold all of them for the life of one traitor.

He didn't look at the other occupants of the cell he was forced into, but he felt their eyes riveted on him. The door had barely slammed shut before a din arose, this time aimed at Stoick, his people beseeching him for a plan.

"Quiet down! Give him some space to speak!" Gobber's familiar voice boomed beside him, while his hand rested on the chief's shoulder. "Stoick," he whispered to his friend, "What's going on?" Stoick slowly lifted his head to look at him. The shocked anger that his son's betrayal originally caused him had morphed into crushing disillusionment. The sadness in his eyes surprised Gobber, filling him with dread. "Where's Hiccup?" He asked carefully.

Stoick brought his eyes down again and shook his head. Fear and budding grief seized the blacksmith, who believed for a moment that the apprentice he'd grown fond of was no longer alive. But Stoick's mumbled response confused him further:

"He's run off with a dragon."

...

Hiccup knew they couldn't be safe to land anywhere on Berk where Alvin might find them again, so he and Toothless touched down on a small island some miles north of the village. Once on his feet he immediately began pacing.

"Even if they hate me now...I can't just leave them to die, bud," He spoke aloud to his dragon, "Gobber, Astrid, the others... they don't deserve this."

Toothless watched curiously.

"But honestly, what can I do? One ninety-pound kid against an entire army of blood-thirsty savages." He stopped to run his fingers through his hair nervously. "But I do have you," he added, glancing hopefully at the Night Fury, who perked up at the attention.

The Viking teen sighed and sank into a sitting position with one hand cupping his chin and the other drumming the dirt. A sudden huff of breath ruffled his hair and the sound of snuffling alerted him to Toothless' standing over him. He had to crack a smile when the slimy tongue lapped at his cheek. The dragon whined and rubbed his head against the boy, making Hiccup giggle before he turned and attempted to mimic the animal noises. He fell quiet again with one hand stroking the creature settled beside him.

His restless fingers suddenly brushed something unexpectedly hard and smooth buried in the sand. Frowning, he gripped the item and tugged it out- it was an ordinary wooden bow.

"What the— what's this doing here?" He ran his hand across the discarded weapon, thinking back to his failed archery lessons. They seemed a million years ago. "The Universe does love to mock me, doesn't it?" He was just thinking how oddly small it was for a Viking weapon when a scribbled engraving caught his eye:

_Property of Hiccup H.H. II_

"This was my ancestor's!" He exclaimed, holding it up with new interest. Toothless gave it an inquisitive sniff, observing the change in his human's mood. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Second— predecessor to Grimbeard the Gastly, successor to my great grandfather. So he was an archer? And a runt too, going by the size of his bow." Hiccup held the weapon up to himself; It was perfectly shaped for a small Viking. "Like me…" _Except my aim is disgraceful, _he added to himself.

Hiccup tried to recall what he'd learned from brief history lessons of his ancestors— _Curse the less-than-adequate Viking education system_. His namesake had done something important, right? He'd led the Hairy Hooligans to victory in a war against their enemies in the Meathead Tribe.

Suddenly the teen stood up, his expression hardened into one of determination. Toothless got up also, his tail swaying excitedly as his human mounted his back.

"If a hiccup back then was able to make his place in the world against impossible odds," he stated, "Maybe this one can too. Let's go, bud!"

...

Astrid was confused. It was a feeling she experienced rarely, and she loathed it; not knowing the facts, or how to tackle a predicament. As a headstrong female warrior, she preferred to be on top of situations, to feel in control of herself and her surroundings.

Such was not the case now.

It'd been about an hour since Chief Stoick had been returned to the tribe, and looking broken in a way Astrid couldn't quite put her finger on. He was put in the cell adjacent to hers and the other teens', so she heard with perfect clarity the exchange between him and Gobber. Despite hearing the words and seeing them spoken by the chief, she couldn't seem to absorb their meaning.

Because she must have misheard. There's no way... _Hiccup _trained a dragon. Right?

Soon rumors were flying around the cramped prison as Berkians took up the news in hushed tones. Many of them were as disbelieving as her, but others, like that cranky old man Mildew, were ranting about how they should have seen the signs. How they should have tossed the scrawny disgrace out of their tribe long ago.

This sort of talk made Astrid mad. As fierce and uncaring as she sometimes appeared on the outside, she had an intense distaste for the whole "Only the strong can belong" thing that most Vikings praised. She trained herself hard, not to prove herself worthy for the tribe, but for her own gratification. And sure Hiccup was weird, but he wasn't a monster. At the very least he didn't deserve to have such things said about him, much less those things carried out.

But if he really is consorting with dragons...

With a jolt she recalled when, just the other day, she had caught a glimpse of Hiccup's sketch book. The strange dragon he'd drawn— was it really a Night Fury? It made sense when pieced together with how often he slipped away during the day.

Astrid sighed in frustration and got up from the corner she'd been thinking in. She couldn't make a definite conclusion now, so she filed it away for later consideration. To her left Snotlout was opening his mouth to hit on her and she promptly kicked him in the shin.

"Ow!" He complained. Astrid rolled her eyes.

"She's so violent," Tuffnut pointed out from across the way. Then, to his twin sister beside him, "Why can't you be that violent?"

Ruffnut slugged him in the face. "Seeing stars yet?"

Tuffnut clutched at his head. "Several."

The fifth teen in the cell shifted nervously and adjusted his hemet by the horns. "Um guys, do you really think we should be hurting each other right now? I mean, the Outcast people probably have enough of that in store for us..."

"Nah, they need us in good condition for when they sell us or whatever," Snotlout countered with uncharacteristic logic. Astrid's eyes widened.

"Bet I'm worth more than you," Tuffnut mocked his sister.

"Yah, right," Ruffnut scowled.

"Hey, guys," Astrid attempted to interject.

"People'd probably mistake you for the same person anyway," Snotlout put in.

"Guys," Astrid tried again.

"Um no, 'cause I'm a man. Men're worth more."

"GUYS!" Astrid shouted over the twins' resulting scuffle. Admittedly though, she wanted to give Tuffnut a piece of her mind about that last comment too, but right now there were more important things to worry about. They finally all gave her their attention.

She smiled. "I've got an idea."

* * *

**You All: What the crud, Raz? It's been like three weeks X(**

**Me: I know! I'm sorry... I do have a life outside of fanfiction tho!**

**My Inner Voice: No you don't.**

**Me: ...shut up.**

**...**

**But hey! There's a new teaser trailer out for httyd2! *fangirls wildly* Although... is anyone else more than a little sad at how much Hiccup's changed? ;-;**

**~Raz **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Savage was one of the few Outcasts left unoccupied in the newly-conquered village, as Alvin was out of his mind with anger and frustration in his search for the dragon-training boy. So it was that he— who'd typically be dogging the chief's heels and waiting on his words with fear-induced servility— was sent to feed the prisoners that evening. He grumbled about demotion, shoving the jail door open with his back, hands laden with two large buckets of gruel. The unappetizing substance sloshed in its container, and Savage fought a wave of nausea; he felt glad _he _didn't have to eat this. The future slaves had to be fed something, though, so they could appear healthy for the slave traders who'd be arriving soon from the Uglithug Territories.

He made the rounds mechanically, distributing rations and ignoring curses thrown his way from the other side of the bars. An awful fit of coughing from the cell he was currently serving caught his attention, though. Peering in he saw five teen-aged Vikings, each looking to be in a rather pitiful state. Their faces looked flushed and sweaty as though with fever, and each lay listlessly against the stone walls breathing heavily.

"S-sir!" A still-wheezing girl with pale bangs matted to her forehead reached out to him with a shaking hand. "Sir, I d-don't feel so well..."

"I can't feel my arms!" Moaned another; this one a boy with long blond hair. Nearby his sister (that's what she must've been, for how alike they looked), a black-haired boy, and a larger kid looked similarly miserable.

"Umm..." Savage wasn't sure what to do. "Well, I guess... er, I'll be right back," He grunted, setting the gruel down and retreating to the exit. Just outside the door he looked around, spotting his fellow Outcast on guard duty some feet away.

"Hey, Ulf," he called, giving the man a summoning gesture with one hand, the other resting on the cracked door. The large fellow ambled up with one eyebrow arched questioningly. In a low voice Savage explained, "A few of the kids in there are looking pretty ill. Whadda you s'pose we should do?"

His companion scoffed. "Ill? All of a sudden? No way. They gotta be faking it."

"I don't know, Ulf; it seems pretty real to me. A couple of 'em look like death itself."

Ulf stroked his wiry orange mustache contemplatively. "Well, let's take one to Alvin and see what he thinks," he decided.

...

As the Outcast who'd brought the food (a generous term for the gruel) turned his back to the kids to seek consultation, Astrid allowed herself a small smile of success. She looked proudly over the rest of the still-wheezing teens.

"I think we fooled him!" She whispered excitedly.

"Thank... Thor..." Snotlout glared.

Astrid smirked. "C'mon, guys; You act like you've never done five hundred push-ups in twenty minutes before."

"I'm hurt... I'm very hurt..." Tuffnut choked out. At his side Ruffnut punched his arm for good measure.

"Exercise doesn't agree with me. I think I'm gonna be sick." Fishlegs insisted, turning away with a hand over his mouth.

_Good, that was the point_, Astrid thought just as the door swung open again and Savage returned with Ulf at his side.

"Alright, children," Savage began assertively. Astrid nearly twitched in annoyance at his wording. "We're gonna take one of you to Alvin and see what he makes of your sickness." He scanned the cage again and his gaze landed on Astrid, the one who looked least like she would collapse from exhaustion. "You there."

She looked up with her helpless mask still flawlessly in place, though internally she couldn't believe her good luck. The door swung open and Ulf took her arm roughly, bringing her out and slamming the door closed again before the others could even think of escape.

"Let's go," The burly Outcast rumbled.

As they left, Astrid swung her limp free arm behind her back and held out her index and middle fingers flat side by side. The signal for 'wait.'

...

Hiccup would've waited for nightfall to survey the village, but the dark storm clouds that had rolled over Berk in the last few hours hid his black dragon almost as well. Having decided to help the captive villagers, he was now working on his next predicament: How to actually _do_ that.

His sharp eyes picked out several hordes of Outcasts streaming off this way and that; searching for him, he assumed... So then how well would the prison be guarded? He steered Toothless in that direction. He was side-tracked mid-scheming, however, when he spotted a couple of figures emerging from the prison doorway; a smaller, more familiar personage escorted between them. Curiously he tracked their movement towards the docks and angled in closer to identify the middle Viking...

...

Astrid tried to take in as much information about the number of guards, their positions, and the location of any possible weapons as much as she could; while simultaneously trying to keep up her weakling facade, stumbling over her feet and coughing every now and again.

She had to restrain herself from scowling when that repulsive man came into view. Alvin the Treacherous. He was apparently down by the docks arranging for the arrival of the slave traders. _No one's gonna be a slave anytime soon_, she thought grimly. _Not if I can help it._

At close range, Astrid could tell the Outcast chief was _not _in a good mood. He yelled at everyone who spoke to him and a furious fire glinted in his beetle-like eyes. Despite herself she swallowed nervously as those black holes turned in her direction.

"What's going on? Why have you let a prisoner out?!" He bellowed.

"Excuse me, Alvin," Savage began docilely, "your Treacherousness. But this one has seemingly become sick, and a few others—"

"Sick?" Alvin interrupted. "Well, put 'er to death already! We don't need the infection spreading!"

Astrid's eyes widened. This was not part of the plan.

"Sir, it's not just that, we're not sure if—" Ulf tried.

"ARE YOU QUESTIONING ME?" Alvin roared. "I said, she dies. So do it, _now_!"

Savage jumped at his leader's sudden rage. "Yes, Alvin," He agreed quickly. He nodded at Ulf, who forced Astrid to her knees and reached for his ax. Savage took hold of her shoulder.

_Ok, change of plans. _Astrid's demeanor shifted from ailing and defenseless back to her usual strong and determined. In five seconds flat she'd twisted the wrist of the hands that restrained her, jabbed the hardest kick she could muster backwards into the gut of her other assailant, and taken off at full speed for the forest. Behind her she heard commotion and the pounding of boots on her tail. Ignoring them, she pushed herself harder. She had no idea where her course of action led, but at the moment she was more keen on winging it than having her head lobbed off. Wind whistled past her as she pumped her legs, and despite the adrenaline boosting her step she sensed with an awful premonition that she was losing the race...

Then something unexpected happened.

She felt a grip on her shoulder that made her heart jump into her throat, as she thought at first that her pursuers had caught up with her. One moment her feet touched the ground; the next she felt the unfamiliar sensation of being lifted, and when she looked down, she gasped in surprise to see the tops of trees dropping beneath her boots. Had she not been out of breath from her sprint she might have screamed. As it was, she grasped at the claw on her shoulder for dear life and ran her gaze up ebony scales gleaming with reflected light; to bat-like wings spread overhead and beating the air powerfully. And there atop the creature's back, his chestnut hair whipping around in the wind and looking back at her with concern and relief was... Hiccup?

* * *

**Hey guess what? I LIIIIIVE! And I haven't forgotten about my poor, neglected story. It's just hard for me to sit down and write since I'm so easily distra- SQUIRREL!**

**...So yah... I actually had to clip this chapter into two cuz it was looking way too long. Expect more soon. Horray for not having writer's block every once in a while! **

**Btw, thank you peepsles who leave me such kind reviews and/or follow/fave. It means so much to a wee newbie like me :3 Virtual gummy worms for all.**

**OH YES and thank you to my lovely Fritz96 for designing the cover image! Everyone go follow her; she's awesome. **

**~Raz :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

From where he stood when he had ordered the girl's death, Alvin watched the whole scene play out: the shadowy creature swooping in at the last moment, snatching up the escaped prisoner and disappearing into the distance. His temper was instantly forgotten as he tracked the dark silhouette rising into the air and becoming lost from view beyond the forest. In his mind Alvin memorized the path they took, and quickly he set about ordering his men. Among the thoughts racing through his mind, one occurred to him that caused a hopeful smile to etch itself beneath that bristly beard...

...

He felt reckless and weak for caring, but Hiccup refused to stand by and watch Astrid die, even if it meant revealing himself. In a moment of temerity, he urged Toothless into a dive, to rescue her seconds before her capture and disposal. As rash and impulsive decisions have a way of clogging the mind, he didn't think beyond getting her to safety. When it finally occurred to him to look down and check on her, he was surprised to see her horrified, upturned face looking back at him in a mix of shock, fear and anger. The expression made him uncomfortable, though he honestly wasn't sure _what _he had expected.

"Hiccup?!" He saw her lips form his name but didn't hear the whispered word over the rush of wind. The look in her eyes reminded him painfully of the aspect his father had worn not long ago, one bordering betrayal and disgust. He winced involuntarily and looked away, making sure they were a safe distance from the village before having Toothless perch rather precariously on the top limbs of an enormous pine. An unusual spot to land, yes, but there they would be safe from any immediate harm.

Astrid meanwhile was stunned by the revelation of her hero. His gaze had been full of determination, concern and relief, but as she stared he suddenly looked pained and turned away before she could register or understand the look.

_So what now?_ Her plan had failed horribly. But she got away; that was all she needed for now. She was hoping that once the dragon landed she'd be able to run for it and avoid confronting Hiccup. Of course, she never planned being dropped in a tree. As she clung to a branch with wide, alarmed eyes, Astrid finally found her voice.

"Hiccup! Get me _down_ from here!" She demanded angrily, trying to cover her panic.

"You have to give me a chance to explain," He pleaded earnestly.

"I am _not_ listening to _anything _you have to say!"

"Then I won't speak," Hiccup promised quickly. "Just let me _show_ you." She glanced at the ground _far_ beneath her feet. "Please, Astrid."

_He did just save your life,_ her internal voice reminded her. Her face softened slightly. It was true, without his intervention she would likely be taking up residence in Valhalla about now. The rumors about his siding with dragons might be true, but he wasn't all bad apparently. With a stubborn _hmph_ she swung herself up alongside him, all the while keeping a wary eye on the deadly dragon bristling at her. Hiccup appeared totally unperturbed by the creature's dangerous mood as he held out his hand to help her aboard. She quickly batted the offer away and helped herself onto the uniquely-crafted saddle. Her arms were held out wide, tentatively trying to keep balance but at the same time avoid the awkwardness that hugging Hiccup for safety would involve.

"Alright, now get me down." She tried to sound commanding, but the nervousness in her voice betrayed her.

"Toothless, down. _Gently_," Hiccup relayed enunciatively to the dragon, who, in response, unfurled his wings obediently. Looking over his shoulder at his apprehensive companion he added confidently, "See? There's nothing to be afraid of— waaaAAAAA!"

Before Hiccup could finish his thought or Astrid could retort that she was most certainly _not _afraid, Toothless' wings thrust down hard and without warning, both dragon and riders were shooting directly skyward like an arrow shot from a crossbow. This was not what Hiccup needed right now! He had to get his dragon under control. "Toothless, what is wrong with you?! Bad dragon!"

Her pretense of fearlessness forgotten, their newest flier's mouth opened in a long yell of alarm. Her fingers scrambled desperately for purchase on the leather seat as the sudden takeoff threatened to throw her off. Hiccup himself gave a startled yelp, but as they leveled out several hundred feet later and Astrid's hands and legs latched onto his torso, he attempted to mend the situation.

"Uh, he's not usually like this…" He assured her with a weak chuckle. And of course, Toothless chose that moment to retract one wing and dip into a free fall. "Oh, no," Hiccup muttered, just before Astrid resumed screaming. He needed to figure out his plan to end Toothless' scheme! However, as they were nearing the water and he got ready to adjust the foot pedal, Hiccup realized that altering any position of the prosthetic tail during these stunts could be fatal; his dragon was in complete control. "Toothless, what are you doing? We need her to _like_ us!" He yelled at the rebellious dragon as they drove through ice-cold sea water a few times and then spiraled upwards again. They were leveling out— _he's gonna corkscrew_. "And now the spinning…Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile."

Despite Hiccup's pleading protests, Toothless kept up the reckless air tricks, determined to make this human female— who'd no doubt been a part of the village that drove his Hiccup to him looking more depressed every day— to feel as wretched as she had Hiccup. His reasoning was somewhat at fault, since Astrid had never directly mistreated Hiccup, and had even given him the benefit of the doubt when others did not; but even so it was not until, huddled into Hiccup's back with eyes shut in surrender, Astrid uttered a sincere, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry," that Toothless finally took mercy on her.

Suddenly the hurricane of movement coasted into an unexpectedly pleasant glide. Astrid kept her face pressed into the refuge of Hiccup's shoulder for a moment before releasing her death grip and peeking hesitantly around at the no-longer-spinning world.

The dragon tipped his nose up and they swiftly rose. The rising storm that troubled the other side of the island had yet to reach this part of Berk, and so the clouds they broke through were peaceful and softly illuminated by orange-pink rays of dying sunlight.

Intrigued, Astrid carefully lifted her hand to glide through the fluffy mist. Soon the other joined it and she stretched both arms out and she leaned back, letting her eyes close in the liberation of the moment. The weightless sensation gave way to a freedom and tranquility she had never known.

And the view. The view was breathtaking.

Soaring through this beautiful, beautiful sky with the most unlikely company, Astrid felt truly detached from the cares and worries of her Viking world.

She felt incredible.

And this boy in front of her— the village screw-up, who worked so hard to be one of them despite his scrawny physique and discouraging failures, a person she never imagined she would share such a moment with— he had discovered this remarkable world. Watching his chestnut hair stirring in the wind, those green eyes vibrant and gleaming with vivacity; she couldn't deny that he might be, no, _had _to be, pretty remarkable too.

Hiccup himself had experienced the joy of flight countless times, though that made the ride no less exhilarating for him. He was immensely relieved that Toothless had decided to cooperate, and noted with satisfaction that Astrid seemed to be enjoying herself now. But when her head nudged itself fondly beside his and her arms wrapped around him again, but no longer in fear, he was filled with genuine elation.

They flew in silence for a while longer, enjoying the beauty and stillness of the night, till at last Astrid spoke quietly in awe, "Alright, I admit it. This is pretty cool. It's amazing..."—then with an admiring pat on the Night Fury's head— "_He's_ amazing."

...

It was in this tender moment under the now star-filled sky that, much to Toothless' dismay, he began to feel the unpleasantly familiar pull of the Red Death's summoning.

Since meeting Hiccup, he'd managed to avoid her, as he'd been thrown out of his old way of life—quite literally— with an inability to fly on his own; not to mention he'd found a much more fulfilling reason to live in the form of one small human hatchling. At first merely tolerated, Hiccup had somehow weaseled himself into the dragon's heart in a way he hadn't known was possible. And when Toothless began to catch on that his treasured human was an outcast of sorts, mistreated in his own home, it made him even more determined to protect him, and drove memories of the Nest and the Queen further out of mind.

Now, however, having met the young Viking girl and finding her to be not as bad as he had imagined, it occurred to Toothless that the rivalry between humans and dragons might, too, be based on a misunderstanding. Sure, they had justified quarrels now and again; but did the humans even know about the trials they went through in slaving for the Queen?

Having happened upon this revelation, the Night Fury made his decision. For the first time in months, he answered the call of the Red Death.

As he angled into the ominous flight through heavy fog, protruding boulders and flocks of other dragons with their kill, he heard his human passengers' exclamations of objection to the sudden shift in atmosphere; still he persisted, tuning out their questions.

Because they had to know.

It was high time he shared his world with them.

* * *

**Ba-BAM, chapter seven! (which was originally set to be part of chapter 6, but I clipped it to keep the chapter sizes around the same ****length. Chapter 4 was hapless. A hapless situation to be exact. Or maybe just a treat to my starved readers.) Eight is half done, should be up soon.**

**…How did ya'll like the Hiccstrid? Mah friend helped me out with it :3**

**Thanks for sticking with this silly little story o' mine.**

**Gummy worms to all!**

**-Raz :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

* * *

Hidden in the treacherous mist beyond Helheim Gate on an island black and dead lay the Dragons' Nest. It was there in the shadowy depths of a dormant volcano that the Queen dragon made her throne.

It had been her domain for as long as any of them could remember, and so the origins of her reign were no longer known. But since that ancient day that she first took control of the Archipelago she had not budged, never loosed her grip on the dominion she prized. She enjoyed the offerings of her subjects, the sacrifices they gifted her in return for their pathetic lives, and she ruled with an iron claw, devouring any and all who failed to satisfy her raging hunger otherwise. None dared defy her power.

Today seemed no different than any other; the Queen woke from her continual sleep to summon the peasants with her meal. From wherever they were they felt with a sort of sixth sense her warning call that meant it was time to bring food or become it.

As the offerings began to rain down for her consumption, the creature known as the Red Death brooded on her own supremacy. Was there ever a dragon as predominant as she? No being in all the world she had once terrorized could rival her sovereignty, her magnificence, her indisputable rule.

Who else could boast the worship of so many subjects? And not only did she control a great mass of the lesser dragon population, but among the common filth she prided herself in commanding a handful of rarer classes; the prize of which being a member of the noble and near-extinct species of Night Furies.

In turning these thoughts over in her mind it occurred to the Queen that much time had passed since said Night Fury had returned to the Nest. While she did not normally concern herself with individual members of the insignicants, this particular matter troubled her considerably, for the idea of losing this trophy angered her. She knew that among the others, he alone possessed the intelligence to break her influence, though she had put away such doubts for so long.

Should he turn on her, convince the others against her...

Her three pairs of eyes all narrowed.

She was distracted from her growing displeasure when the half a mind she kept focused on the flow of offerings sensed a lack of submission.

In a flash she reared her royal head out of the fathomless abyss. Mighty jaws closed around the disobedient Gronkle, thus satisfying the balance of their trade.

It was then as she croaked her evil satisfaction with the snack and began to recede into the cavity that her sensitive nostrils caught the scent of humans.

Her first reaction was that of excitement- could it be that today's meal included Viking flesh? Such a delicacy was rare, as her pitiful slaves were often too cowardly to hunt the tricky things with their sharp weapons and confusing traps.

But no. In the dim red light of the cavern, her roving yellow eyes caught on them, cowering behind a stone pillar not far away: two live humans. That sight alone would have astounded her. She could have assumed they were lost, made sure they were never found again, and been done with them. She did a double take, thinking her bleary old eyes were playing tricks on her; but sure enough she caught his scent to verify the sight. Her wayward Night Fury carried the human scum on his back.

Red rage fogged the Queen's vision. With a feral growl she went to snap at the traitor, only for him to take off at the last moment like a pesky bug he was, barely escaping her fangs.

The hostile shift in the air triggered a frenzied exodus among the thousands of dragons huddled in the caves, all of them funneling out of the mountain in a panicked tornado of scales and claws and wings. Infuriated, the Red Death struck out at the evacuating stragglers, her teeth closing on an unfortunate Zippleback. Still seething but somewhat satisfied - for now - the monumental creature retreated into the murky depths.

...

"_What_ was _that_?!"

Hiccup barely heard Astrid's alarmed question over the rush of wind as Toothless sped away from that horrible place, taking on an extra burst of speed from the slipstreams of the other evacuating dragons. Astrid was still leaning into him in a way that would've made his heart flip-flop, had they not just been through what they had.

"I have no idea!" He shouted in response. "Toothless has never taken me there before!"

He couldn't see her face but could tell from her pensive silence that she was turning something over in her mind. They remained silent as the adrenaline rush of the sudden escape died down and the thick stream of dragons thinned out, till it was just the lone Night Fury and his riders gliding over a still black ocean.

At long last Astrid seemed to have come to a conclusion. "It totally makes sense," she murmured. Had her head not been so near Hiccup's, he might not have heard her. She raised her voice as her explanation continued. "It's like a giant beehive; they're the workers, and _that's_ their queen. It controls them."

Beneath them, Toothless gave a fervent nod. His intense expression was not lost on Hiccup; he could tell that his friend _loathed_ the Queen Dragon.

"Well... that does explain a lot," Hiccup said carefully. "Like, why they didn't take any of the food for themselves."

"And why they continually raid the village, when they're clearly not so evil inherently," Astrid added, giving Toothless' neck a fond rub. He crooned and shot her his adorable gummy smile in response. Hiccup felt a thrill of relief and even pride at their friendly exchange and smiled.

With no clue where else to go, Hiccup steered them back to the island on which he'd found the archery equipment, this time skipping over the beach and letting them down a ways into the forest. Darkness had long since completely fallen, the stars blocked out angry storm clouds so that all the landscape of the beautiful island was covered with a black veil. They touched down in somber quiet, for even the crickets which normally sang this time of night seemed to be in mourning. They dismounted and stood awkwardly, not sure what to do with themselves, as Toothless took a well-earned drink from the still waters of a freshwater stream nearby.

The only noise being the Night Fury's gulps and the ominous rustling of the forest, Hiccup felt compelled to make conversation but with his limited social skills had no idea how to do so. A couple moments ticked by in which both humans avoided each other's gaze and an awkward silence settled over them.

Having taken his fill of water, Toothless now sat of his haunches looking back and forth curiously between the odd humans who avoided each others' gaze. Finally he shifted back onto all fours with an amused look in his eye and stalked past them. Just as he passed Hiccup, he swung his tail wide at the boy, shoving him closer to the female. Hiccup gave a startled yelp and caught himself from stumbling straight into Astrid. He scowled, ready to turn around and give the now-chortling dragon a piece of his mind, but was caught off-guard when he straightened and found himself looking into sapphire blue eyes. The scolding words abandoned him instantly; most thoughts, in fact. His mind went blank and he offered her expectant gaze a half-hearted smile. To his immense relief, she smiled back.

_Okay, this isn't so ba-_

Astrid abruptly punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" He complained, rubbing the limb confusedly. He stared at her, bewildered by the sudden outburst.

"That was for kidnapping me," she stated blatantly.

Hiccup was about to indignantly point out that, had it not been for his 'kidnapping,' she might very well be dead, but for the second time that night his words had no time to form. When she suddenly snatched him by the front of his tunic and pulled him in, he winced, expecting to be further punished. What he got instead was the tender sensation of her lips on his cheek. It was there and gone in a split second, but the feeling and emotions it stirred in his soul were forever imprinted in him.

"That," she continued, breaking Hiccup out of his daze, "was for everything else."

The smile she gave him then was brilliant and beautiful, and Hiccup felt at that moment he could have flown without Toothless' aid. Said dragon watched the scene smugly from a distance, and the boy spared his friend an embarrassed glance. He heard Astrid snicker at his most-likely-dopey expression, and he felt a patchy red blush spread across his face. He rubbed at the back of his neck and gave her what he hoped was a confident smile. She laughed again. He glowered inwardly. It wasn't like he had much practice with girls.

The lightened mood didn't last long, however, as the troubling prospect of what-in-Midgard-they-were-going-to-do-now gradually returned. Astrid's face fell as a forlorn "So, what now?" fell quietly from her lips.

Hiccup sighed. "I don't know," he replied in the same tone and volume.

Astrid took a seat on a nearby log, her attention still on Hiccup. "Well, we have to do something; Alvin's not just gonna sit around. If we don't stop him, the Outcasts will terrorize the village and kill everyone in a bloody red massacre."

"I know." The troubled Viking gazed out through the wind-stirred branches to the dark sea beyond, and past that, the moonlit path across the waves leading to the distant island known as home. His mind was uncustomarily blank; calm, void and overbearing like the vast ocean before him.

Astrid studied the peculiar boy before her as he faced the Isle of Berk, quiet and still as a statue but almost palpably buzzing with thought. It occurred to her for the second time on that odd, upside-down day what a remarkable situation he had gotten himself into, befriending a Night Fury and all. She wondered briefly if helping him right now made her a traitor to the tribe too, but this thought was swept away by the honest convictions she knew in her heart: Hiccup was _not_ an enemy. If anything, he gave hope in this awful situation. He was still trying to defend his home and people even when they rejected him for his means of doing so, and had never even been that kind to him in the first place. And now that he had saved her life, it was her responsibility to return the favor in whatever way she could.

She mentally pleaded with that exceptional brain of his— that mind which had many a time concocted plans which resulted in fire and injury; that instinct that had been not-so-affectionately dubbed by the village 'the Hiccup way'— to develop a plan that would work and save them all.

But _she _needed to help, too. Astrid stared at the ground, brow furrowed. There had to be something they could do! She sighed, frustrated, as no inspiration came.

"If only we could introduce that monster to Alvin," she muttered. "Show _him_ some real 'Red Death.'"

Hiccup snapped out of his inner musings suddenly, turning to her with the spark of an idea festering in his emerald eyes. "That's it!" He murmured with renewed enthusiasm.

"What's it? Hiccup, you've had some crazy plans in the past," – she glanced over at the Night Fury to indicate exhibit A— "but you're not really thinking of taking Alvin to the Red Death, are you?"

"What? No," he responded distractedly. He seemed to be working some mental calculations. "Astrid, what's Alvin's weakness?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"The one enemy he can't overpower with strength alone: dragons."

"What does that have to do with—?"

"If we don't use Alvin's weakness to our advantage, he'll destroy the whole village."

Astrid sighed. "Okay, what's the plan?"

"Give Alvin some real dragons to fight. Of course, they can't hurt Berkians, so we'll have to train them."

"Train dragons?" She arched an eyebrow skeptically. "Hiccup, you do realize that's exactly what Alvin wants?"

"If we can train them first, they won't obey Alvin," Hiccup insisted. "Dragons aren't inherently evil, but they're not tamed like house pets either. They're loyal only to the humans they trust."

Astrid nodded slowly; she could understand that. After all, she'd seen how Toothless had reacted defensively against her before they got to know each other, compared to how devotedly he responded to Hiccup.

The teens' gazes met, determined green boring into tentative blue. At last Astrid bobbed her head in approval and a hopeful smile lit up her features.

"Alright, I'm in."

...

Astrid slid off Toothless' back and faced his rider. "You sure about this?"

He grimaced nervously. "No, but it's our only chance."

She turned and faced Berk, pushing aside her own threatening apprehension; she needed to do this.

"I'll be shadowing you from the sky," she heard him say.

"I don't need shadowing."

"I know... It'll make me feel better."

Astrid hid a small smile at the gesture. "Fine, just stay out of sight." Then she turned and took off running, only to be stopped in her tracks by his voice once more.

"Hey, Astrid?"

She drew her attention back to the boy still atop the pitch black Night Fury.

"Be safe," he whispered.

She nodded and continued. Under the cover of the dark forest she sprinted, as quick and light on her feet as a Nadder. She made it to the village in good time and immediately headed towards the arena, carefully slipping into the ring. She remained undetected thus far.

Her lithe form kept to the shadows along the walls as she made her way to the dragon enclosures and undid the locks on each cage one at a time. The doors swung open, releasing their five scaly prisoners. With all of them free, she pushed open the main gate and stood back as its confused occupants looked back and forth between her and the exit. She silently encouraged them, and the creatures made their escape into freedom, the Nadder stopping to give her one last look of puzzlement before squawking lowly in what could almost be a thank you and following the others.

"Good luck," she whispered.

Her task completed, she quickly dashed up the ramp back towards the village. She shot a quick glance over her shoulder at the vacant night sky, and as she rounded a corner she slammed into an obstacle in her path.

Of all her luck, it had to be a patrolling Outcast.

"You!" He hissed, quickly snatching her left arm. "Where's the boy?!"

Astrid composed herself. "I don't know. I ran as soon as I could."

He stared at her dubiously for a moment.

_Please take the bait,_ she mentally begged. _Please, please…_

"Come on." He turned, and with his grip still firm, escorted her through the village.

* * *

**How's that for a chapter? hehe, I'm just a wee bit proud of myself. n_n**

**...Sorry for the delay, as usual (why do I even say that anymore?). But really, I have a valid excuse! School started. T_T yeah. One more year, then I shall be free from the horrors of public school! I'm so ready for graduation and then college.**

**Thank you to my best bud Fritz96 AGAIN for helping me edit this chapter and fix up my Hiccstrid junk :)**

**aaaand, I'm totally neglecting my homework to write this, so I better get going. Laterz!**

**-Raz :D**


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